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Working on a commercial fishing boat takes grit, skill, and long days at sea. Yet one misstep, a sudden storm, or a faulty winch can leave a deckhand fighting for life and livelihood.
At Shlosman Law Firm in New Orleans, we help injured fishermen hold careless vessel owners and employers responsible.
If you are hurt offshore, our team knows the maritime rules that protect seamen, and we fight to recover the money you need to heal and keep food on the table.
Risks of Commercial Fishing Accidents
Commercial fishing remains one of the deadliest jobs in the country, with fatality rates dozens of times higher than most land-based work. Long shifts, heavy machinery, and open water create a harsh mix that can turn routine tasks into medical emergencies.
Typical hazards include:
- Vessel disasters such as sinkings, capsizings, or fires
- Falls overboard, often unwitnessed and without personal flotation devices
- Equipment failures involving winches, lines, or nets that can amputate or crush limbs
- Sudden weather shifts that push crews to keep working through pounding waves and icy spray
When these dangers strike, fishermen face injuries like broken bones, head trauma, hypothermia, and deep lacerations. Some never make it home. Knowing how these accidents unfold helps our firm build a strong claim later.
The risks do not end once the storm passes. Infection, chronic pain, and lost earnings can follow an offshore injury for years, making early legal help vital.
How Shlosman Law Firm Can Help After a Commercial Fishing Accident
Our maritime practice focuses on lifting burdens off injured workers so they can focus on recovery. We dig into the root causes of each case and press every liable party for fair payment.
Comprehensive Case Evaluation
We start by gathering maintenance logs, crew statements, weather reports, and Coast Guard findings. These records reveal whether the owner skipped repairs, overloaded the vessel, or failed to train green deckhands.
Next, we outline every pocket of liability, from a rusty hydraulic line to a corporate policy that pushes crews past safe hours. This groundwork often sparks early settlement talks.
With the facts in hand, we then move to the legal framework most favorable to you, which may include the Jones Act or general maritime law.
Navigating Maritime Law
The Jones Act lets injured seamen sue an employer for negligence and collect damages beyond basic “maintenance and cure.” To qualify, you typically need to spend at least thirty percent of your time attached to a vessel in navigation.
General maritime law also grants claims for unseaworthiness if the boat, gear, or crew was not reasonably safe. We weigh each statute’s benefits, filing under every avenue that fits your circumstances.
Throughout the process, we explain every step in plain language so you never feel left in the dark.
Pursuing Fair Compensation
Once liability is clear, we document the full scope of harm. This includes hospital bills, future surgeries, therapy costs, lost crew shares, and the daily pain that keeps you up at night.
Our lawyers negotiate with insurers that often try to blame the worker or lowball the claim. If talks stall, we are prepared to take your case into court and place the facts before a judge or jury.
Resolving a maritime claim takes patience, yet a well-built case pressures the defense to pay sooner rather than later.
Common Legal Issues in Commercial Fishing Accident Claims
Disputes after an offshore injury can feel like a maze, especially when several companies share control of the boat and gear. The table below highlights frequent challenges and how we address them.
| Issue | Why It Matters | Our Approach |
| Multiple Potential Defendants | Owner, operator, and equipment maker each point fingers | Identify contracts, maintenance records, and safety policies to pin down responsibility |
| Proving Negligence | The Jones Act requires showing even slight fault by the employer | Use witness statements, expert analysis, and Coast Guard data |
| Calculating Damages | Future medical care and wage loss are often underestimated by insurers | Gather medical opinions, vocational reports, and wage records to present a full picture |
| Statute of Limitations | Most maritime injury suits carry a three-year filing window | File quickly and preserve evidence before memories fade |
By staying proactive on each front, we reduce delays that can drain a family’s savings and peace of mind.
What to Do After a Commercial Fishing Accident
Taking the right steps right away can protect both health and future compensation.
- Get medical care immediately, even if symptoms seem minor.
- Report the event to the captain and put the details in writing.
- Photograph injuries, damaged gear, and the deck layout, if safe to do so.
- Gather contact information of any witnesses on board.
- Reach out to Shlosman Law Firm before signing any statements or releases.
Early legal guidance can guard against company investigators who may press you to accept quick, inadequate payments.
Why Choose Shlosman Law Firm?
Our office has helped Gulf Coast maritime workers for years, securing sizable recoveries in cases involving unseaworthy vessels, overworked crews, and ignored safety rules.
We keep caseloads manageable so every client speaks directly with the lawyer handling the file, not an endless chain of assistants. That personal touch, paired with aggressive advocacy, often moves insurers to settle sooner.
Most importantly, we only get paid if we win money for you, removing any financial worry about upfront fees.
Contact Shlosman Law Firm for a Free Consultation
For years, we’ve secured strong settlements for Gulf Coast maritime workers hurt by unseaworthy vessels, overworked crews, and ignored safety rules. By keeping caseloads small, you speak directly with the lawyer handling your case, an approach that often moves insurers to settle faster.
We work on contingency, so you owe nothing unless we win. If a commercial fishing accident has upended your life, call 504-949-5174 or visit our contact page for a free case review. Let us shoulder the legal load while you focus on healing.